Gregor and the War of Men
by Zip353
Summary: Five months after the events of The Code of Claw, Gregor finds himself empty and alone. But after being pulled down to the Underland to help stop a conflict between Regalia and the Fount, will Gregor have to revive the Warrior to save the ones he loves? Rated T for violence and adult themes.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi! This is my first real attempt at a Fan Fiction, so please give me all the feedback you can! I'd love to learn how I can improve my writing style to make this story more appealing. I have already planned out a good chunk of this story, but due to my slow writing time, there will be many inconsistencies in upload times. Another aspect I'd like to note is that I am doing my best to mimic the style of Suzanne Collins' source material. To put that in perspective, the point of view will never leave Gregor throughout the story, and there will be 3 parts with 9 chapters each. Without further ado, please enjoy **_**Gregor and the War of Men**_**!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of **_**The Underland Chronicles**_**. I am under no impression that this story will generate any profit and will not publish it anywhere else. This is the only disclaimer I will have for this story, but it goes for every chapter. **

**EDIT: After rereading my first two chapters, I found myself unsatisfied with the quality of my writing (mainly pacing). I've decided to go back and rewrite several parts of this. If you've already read the first two chapters, not much will change, but I still encourage you to read them again and let me know how the improvements affected the overall reading experience. Hopefully this is the only time I feel the need to do this.**

* * *

**Part 1: The Collapse**

Chapter 1

It was in darkness that Gregor felt most comfortable; which was why despite living with it for the first eleven years of his life, he couldn't get used to the constant stream of moonlight coming through his window. The moon had originally been a source of comfort- a way to see no matter the time of night. But now, after mastering echolocation, Gregor didn't need any light to see. So, the moon had just become an annoyance.

Nearly five months had passed since Gregor left the Underland, the land beneath the surface of the earth. Despite being a world revenged by war, the Underland was the only place Gregor felt truly welcome. He felt more comfortable around the pale skinned natives and the massive talking animals than around anybody in the Overland. After fighting in many battles with them and earning the name "The Warrior," Gregor considered them to be his closest friends. His parents did not share this same sentiment.

Gregor was nearly killed at the end of the war, barely escaping with his life. The thick scars of five claws that penetrated his chest were a constant reminder of how close to death he had gotten. The fear of losing their only son pushed his parents to refuse to allow him to return to his home away from home. And as much as this hurt Gregor, he couldn't blame them for their fear.

Sleep had become a rare committee for Gregor ever since the war. Nightmares plagued his every dream. Visions of endless pits, blood-soaked wings and giant white rats populated his nightmares. At first, he tried to power through the night terrors, hoping to be able to make it through the night. However, his apartment was small, and he nearly always awoke with a scream. To save his family both worry and exhaustion, Gregor gave up attempting to sleep. So instead he spent most nights staring at his ceiling, waiting for enough time to pass so he would feel that it was acceptable to leave his bed.

Glancing at the clock beside his bed and, deeming 5:00 to be an okay time to get up, Gregor stood and dressed himself in his baggy, long-sleeved clothing. Despite the heat of March, he knew wearing any clothing that exposed his skin was a no-go. His arms and legs were like a road map, with scars all over his limbs, zig-zagging across one another. Some were simple lines on his legs he received from fighting giant ants, while others were large sucker marks on his arm from being grabbed by a squid. He had hoped they would've blended in at least a little bit, but in the five months since leaving behind the world beneath the surface, they had barely faded. The fish ointment the Underlanders gave him to help with the scars did little to help him blend in with the rest of the people on the surface.

Before leaving his room, Gregor reached to his dresser and grabbed two items off the top of it, one of which was a photo. The photo was of him and a girl, someone he considered to be the love of his life. It was a simple picture; just the two of them smiling to the camera. But behind the smiles of the two teens was pain and loss. Despite being the queen of the underground nation, the two of them had developed a romantic relationship that they both knew couldn't last. The smiles they had weren't happy, goofy smiles that most pictures kids took together. Although they looked happy, the truth was, they knew that would be one of the last times they would be together. Their smiles were a mask over the layer of sadness that resided in both of them.

The other item was a claw. It had once been attached to Gregor's best friend, a large bat named Ares. Ares was more than just his best friend; he was Gregor's bond. They were supposed to do everything in their power to keep each other alive. And Gregor had failed to do so. Holding the claw in his hand, Gregor flashed back to his last moments with his friend, the final fight against the Bane, the largest rat in the Underland.

"_I've got to get in closer if I'm going to take him out!" Wing snagged. Bane drawing them in. Locking his jaws on Ares's throat. Sword in heart. Chest ripped open. Falling. Dying. "Don't go, Ares, okay? Don't." Lying in blood. Soaked in blood. Dying. Dying._

Ares' death had been his fault. No question about it. Had Gregor been smarter and less hasty, both of them could have made it out of the fight. But Gregor made a mistake. Gregor was a rager and Ares wasn't. He forgot that simple fact, and his bond paid the price for it. He kept the claw as a reminder of his failure as a warrior, as a friend, and as a bond.

Jolting himself back to reality, Gregor pocketed the two items and left his room.

Gregor carefully closed the front door as to not awaken any of his family. Had his mother ever found out about his habitual morning routine, she would probably chain his arms to his bed to keep him from leaving. Gregor sighed at the thought, climbed down the stairs and departed his apartment building at a brisk jog. The physical exertion running provided was like bliss to Gregor. He wished he could've remained on the track team at school but being on the track team meant he would have to dress out in the locker room, which meant exposing his scar-torn body to the other kids. If there was one thing Gregor couldn't afford, it was questions about where he obtained these scars. It was probably for the best, though. Even if he could be on the track team, he couldn't begin to think of how he would be able to interact with the normal kids at his school. He shared little in common with them anymore. How many 13-year-old kids fought in wars against giant rats?

Ever since returning to the real world, Gregor had been at a loss to find his place in the world. Everyone at school had simply gotten used to his excessive absences and decided to just leave him alone. Even his only friends, Larry and Angelina had accepted the lack of answers to their questions on his disappearances and strange clothing choices. He could always sense their worry, but he made the conscious choice to keep the reality of his previous situation to himself. This obviously put a strain on his interactions and really pushed him apart from the rest of the people above ground. Normally, he would have been dreading the rest of his day because it meant going to school, but since it was Spring Break, Gregor savored the small amount of freedom he felt.

His mom was still hell bent on moving them out to Virginia, but with his Grandmother's consistent hospitalization and both his mom and dad's occasional relapse into sickness, it was simply unrealistic to begin to think about moving, not only because of their physical situation, but their financial situation as well. His mom frequently got bouts of sickness that left doctors worrying about her weak immune system, and his father still struggled from the effects of his imprisonment almost two years ago by King Gorger.

As Gregor passed an alleyway, he saw a rat scurry into a trashcan. Another thing he would never get used to was the rats. After spending what felt like a lifetime in a war against bigger versions of the rodents, Gregor still felt uneasy around even the small Overland-sized rats. It didn't matter what size they were. The sight of a rat reminded him of his part in the war against the gnawers.

Feeling chills shudder down his spine, Gregor quickened his pace.

After an hour of vigorous jogging, Gregor returned to his apartment. Purposefully closing the door a bit louder than silent, Gregor used the sound of the closing door to gauge the activity of his home using echolocation. The ability to use echolocation had been invaluable to his sneaking in and out over the past five months. His father stirred but didn't awaken. Having had over a year to heal from his time as a prisoner of King Gorger, his dad had become relatively healthy. But he was still scarred from the several years of torture he had endured. Gregor's father was probably the only one in this household who had worse nightmares than himself.

Walking into the bathroom, Gregor gingerly removed the photo and claw from his pocket and set them on the sink. He stripped off his clothes and turned look at himself in the mirror. He had regained most of the weight he lost after his devastating injury given to him by The Bane. When he first returned to the Overland, he looked like a ghost, his skin rather pale for Overland standards and his body thin as a rail. Now, looking in the mirror, he still felt like a ghost of his former self despite his physical wellness.

Jumping into the shower, Gregor turned his thoughts to his place in the Overland. Gregor was a rager, otherwise known as a natural born killer. Whenever he got into a fight, his vision fractured, like a broken mirror, and focused on only what was important to a battle. When he was fighting in the war, this skill was invaluable, but now, at a public school, his rager abilities were a hindrance. Gregor had to go out of his way to avoid fights. Should he lose control, he could seriously hurt someone or worse.

After drying himself off and getting dressed again being careful not to forget his photo or claw on the sink, Gregor walked out into the kitchen and saw his little sister, Lizzie, making herself some oatmeal.

"Morning Gregor," Lizzie greeted him. Her voice had a hint of fake happiness, lacking authenticity. Gregor knew this was because she too missed her friends in the Underland.

"Hey Lizzie. How'd you sleep?" Gregor asked her, feigning a yawn so she'd think he just awoke and took a shower rather than snuck out.

"Better than you. How was the jog?"

Gregor nervously scratched his head but said nothing in response. He had learned not to try and hide things from Lizzie. She and him shared a special connection that the rest of his family lacked. They both missed the Underland and wanted nothing more than to go back. He knew she wouldn't make a big deal about it or push too hard for information. Of course, Lizzie knew he hadn't been sleeping. He doubted she was sleeping much either.

"How much oatmeal do we have?" Gregor asked, trying to change the subject.

"Enough. We're out of brown sugar, though. I don't mind, Boots won't eat bland oatmeal."

Gregor sighed. "Okay I'll go next door and ask Mrs. Cormaci if she has any."

"It is a bit early. Are you sure she'd be up by now?"

"I'll knock lightly on her door. It won't be loud enough to wake her up if she's asleep, but it'd be enough so that I can see if she's up and about." Gregor responded. Echolocation was so useful.

"You know, that's really creepy. Seems a bit like an invasion of privacy, using your little superpower to spy on your neighbor," Lizzie smirked at Gregor.

"You'd do it too if you could."

"Yeah, you're probably right," Lizzie laughed in response.

"Okay I'll be right back," Gregor turned to walk out the door, when he noticed something by the kitchen table. There was a small rat inside his apartment looking up at them.

And in its mouth was small a rolled-up scroll.

* * *

**Okie dokie, that's my first chapter. Please review and let me know what you think and how I can improve! Thanks a bunch!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Alright here we are with Chapter 2! I'm not nearly as content with the quality of this chapter versus the first. I rewrote this whole chapter 5 times, and it seemed to get worse with each rewrite to I just stuck to the second draft and worked around that. Thanks to keshaunking89 and MovingBush for reviewing. I appreciate the support and criticism.**

* * *

Chapter 2

Gregor bent down to look at the rat, but before he had reached his knees, it scurried away, leaving the note behind. He picked up the note then turned around to look at his sister. Lizzie had an expression of pure excitement on her face.

"Well don't just stand there. What's it say?" Lizzie could hardly contain herself, bouncing from one foot to the other. Gregor opened the note.

_Gregor,_

_ The tensions between the humans and the gnawers are rising. As much as it pains my poor, aching heart to admit, the bonding between myself and her royal highness was not enough to make lasting peace. The council fears another war between the two species. If the conflict escalates beyond simply arguing over land, it will surely lead to lasting destruction. _

_ There is an upcoming peace delegation at the Fount concerning the issue of the fate of the gnawers. The council is refusing to allow Luxa to go to this delegation as they believe there will be another assassination attempt when she is so far away from the royal guard. They've come to the compromise that if the Warrior would return to guard the queen during this delegation, she would be safe enough to help broker a peace deal. The meeting takes place in three days, but the council wants you to be prepped on the proper protocol if something does happen. Should you decide to come, be at the entrance in your laundry room tonight at midnight. Should you decide not to come, just know that you will be responsible not only for thousands of deaths across the entirety of the Underland, but also the death of your girlfriend._

_ Ripred_

Gregor just stood staring at the note.

_…another assassination attempt_

What does he mean by another? How many had happened before? Is Luxa ok? Is she injured? Did anything bad happen to –

"Well that ended on a somber note." Lizzie interrupted Gregor's train of thought.

"Yeah Ripred has a way of doing that."

"Why would the council want a 13-year-old kid of all people to guard the queen?"

"I don't know. I guess they refuse to believe the Warrior is really dead." Gregor said.

"Well you did single handedly kill a giant white monster rat and save the entire Underland from certain doom."

"It wasn't single handed." Gregor said quietly.

Lizzie stopped talking and looked at Gregor apologetically. He knew she meant no harm, nor did she mean to imply that Ares didn't give his life trying to stop the Bane. It definitely sounded like it though.

"What are we going to tell Mom?" Gregor said, changing the subject. There was no way that their mother was going to agree to this.

"Maybe Dad can persuade her. I mean this is the lives of people who saved her family several times over." Lizzie said hopefully.

Lizzie's hopefulness was definetly misplaced. His mother didn't care about the Underland. She only cared about her family. Gregor couldn't just go to her and say "Hey mom I'm going back down to stop an assassination attempt. See ya!" Gregor thought about how that conversation would go. He winced imagining her screaming.

"I don't know. For now, don't tell them about it. Let me think about it some more. I'm going to go get the brown sugar for breakfast." Gregor moved to walk out the door.

"Seriously? Your girlfriend has had assassination attempts on her and you're worried about breakfast?"

Gregor ignored her and shut the door behind him. Maybe it would be a good idea to ask Mrs. Cormaci what she thought about the whole thing. He doubted she would tell her parents before he got a chance to, and she was generally right about what to do in most instances. Gregor softly knocked on her door and listened to see if she was up. Luckily, she was up and about in her kitchen, so he knocked harder for her to hear it.

Mrs. Cormaci opened the door with a confused look on her face.

"Gregor it's Wednesday, you don't work until Saturday."

"I know Mrs. Cormaci. I just needed to borrow some brown sugar. Err, not borrow- have. And I also need some advice if you have a minute to talk." Gregor replied, a little too quickly.

Mrs. Cormaci raised an eyebrow at his nervousness, but opened her door more and motioned him to come in. "Sit down. I'll bring you some brown sugar. Then we'll talk."

She walked back into the kitchen and filled a plastic bag with a generous amount of brown sugar, then sat down next to Gregor on the couch. Rather than saying anything to her, Gregor handed her the note.

After reading the note, Mrs. Cormaci chuckled dryly and said, "Your mother is not going to like this."

"The thing is…" Gregor debated if he wanted to say what he was really thinking. "The thing is I'm going with or without her permission. I would just rather have it than not."

"The rat said that she's your girlfriend." Mrs. Cormaci smirked.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Gregor felt his face start to heat up.

"You love her, right? You don't need to answer that. Your face is all the answer I need."

She was right. Gregor was blushing heavily.

He coughed and dodged the question, "How can I convince my mom?"

"Just tell her that."

"Ha no I'm asking for serious advice."

"I am serious. As a mother, I know that I'd want my child to be happy. I'd want him to feel what he's going to feel. She'll know she can't change your feelings. At the very least, she'll understand why you're going."

Gregor thought about it for a while. The idea of talking to his mom about a girl he liked made him nauseous. The last thing he wanted was his mom in more of his business. But from what Mrs. Cormaci was saying, it made sense. His mom would want him to be happy right?

"And if you are going back down there, there's something I want you to take with you. Wait here." Mrs. Cormaci got up and walked back into her bedroom. After hearing her rummage through a few drawers, she returned with a gun.

"This was Mr. Cormaci's service pistol. He used this when he fought in the war. I understand that most people down there use swords and bows and all that medieval crap, but if you're going to be safe, and keep this girl safe, I want you to have the best protection you can. I don't want you getting hurt, and I know that if there really are…assassins trying to kill this girl, then you might find this more useful than a sword."

Gregor was stunned. He'd never so much as fired a BB gun, much less a handgun. Would he even know how to use it? Would his rager senses extend to ranged weapons? How much aiming practice would he need? His mother would never approve of him having a gun, then again, she definitely didn't approve of him having a sword either.

Mrs. Cormaci continued, "He rarely ever spoke about the war, but I knew he had seen and done things that haunted him. When he returned, he was a different man. And considering that you have taken a lot more hits than him, I suspect that you are as well. You aren't just some kid anymore. I can see it in your eyes. The few times Mr. Cormaci did talk about his time serving, it felt like he was a million miles away. But from what I gathered, he would've died without this gun. None of my kids have any interest in this sort of stuff. But this gun helped keep my husband alive, and I want it to help keep you alive."

Gregor picked up the gun and looked at it. Mrs. Cormaci was right about it being the best protection. He couldn't think of a weapon in the Underland that would be deadlier than a firearm. But there were also the downsides of a gun. Guns were loud. Loud enough to cause permanent ear damage if use enough. And combined with the structure of the Underland, the sound would echoed throughout the caves.

"I can't. My primary advantage over other humans, besides being a rager, is having the ability to use echolocation. If I fire this enough, I'll damage my hearing and lose that advantage. It's different here, because we have the sun and street lights, but most creatures down there don't need a light to see. I'd like to keep my ability to see without needing a light." Gregor reasoned and set the gun down on the coffee table. "Thanks, but I'm ok without."

"Look Gregor just because you have it doesn't mean it has to be your first choice. I only want you to be safe. Please take the gun. Even if you never take the safety off, I'd rather you have it just in case. When your mother told me about how you looked when you were in recovery, I was heartbroken. You could've died. I don't want you to get another hole in your chest. I don't want you to die!" Mrs. Cormaci was tearing up.

"Okay. I'll take it, but there is no way my mom can know about this." Gregor said, picking up the gun. He did it mostly to make Mrs. Cormaci happy. She'd done so much for his family, and he couldn't bear to see her cry.

"Thank you, Gregor. Believe me, if you never have to raise that gun, no one will be happier than me. If I don't see you before you go back down, I hope everything goes well."

"Thanks for everything. Hopefully I'll see you Saturday," Gregor put the gun in the back of his pants and grabbed the bag of brown sugar. As he began to leave, Mrs. Cormaci called out.

"And just so you know; I hope everything goes well between you and the queen."

Gregor paused at the door. "I hope so too."

* * *

**Well that's Chapter 2! Please Review with any improvements or problems with this chapter. Thanks for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello all! Once again, I return with a new chapter! For anyone who read the first 2 chapters, but didn't see the update, I went ahead and rewrote parts of them. The story itself hasn't changed, but I personally wasn't satisfied with the quality of them. I also added a cover picture for the story. After rereading my previous chapters, I found them to be a little on the light side. This chapter will be much longer. Please let me know which length you prefer.**

**Once again, I'd like to thank MovingBush and keshaunking89 for reviewing. Your support is much appreciated. Well, here's Chapter 3. Enjoy!  
**

* * *

Chapter 3

After leaving Mrs. Cormaci's, Gregor waited in the hallway between the two apartments. He carefully pulled out the firearm she gave him and looked at it. Gregor wasn't a gun guy- in fact this would be the first time he'd actually held a real gun. But considering that its usage could potentially mean the difference between life and death, he took a few moments to familiarize himself with it. Based on the text imprinted on the pistol, it was a Beretta M9. Despite its lack of use, it seemed to have been cleaned regularly. Mrs. Cormaci must have kept its condition up in memory of her late husband. Gregor felt a little out of his element, holding the advanced weaponry. Gregor fought with swords, so he hadn't the first clue on how to operate the gun. Having too much pride to go back inside her apartment to ask for help, Gregor kept fiddling with the gun (probably not the best idea but Gregor trusted his instincts) until he found the hammer-drop lever, the safety and the mag release. He ejected the magazine, hoping to see how much ammo was in the gun, but he couldn't tell just by looking. When he had time later, he would take out all the ammo to count the number of bullets he had.

Realizing he probably looked really shady, standing in front of an apartment with a gun in his hands, Gregor reinserted the magazine, turned the safety on, and put the Beretta in the back of his pants. Fixing his shirt to hide the gun, he went back into his apartment.

Lizzie had already fixed the oatmeal and Gregor clicked his tongue the way Ripred taught him to see if anyone else was up. No one else was.

Gregor plopped the bag of brown sugar in front of Lizzie and asked her, "How goes the cooking?"

Lizzie laughed and asked, "Cooking?" with air quotes around it.

Gregor smiled. It had been a while since he had heard Lizzie laugh with real emotion behind it. The note from the Underlanders had put her in good spirits.

"So, what's our game plan?" Lizzie asked Gregor while he set the table.

"Well first things first, you and I at least are going to stick together. No questioning that." Gregor knew better than to even insinuate not taking Lizzie with him. "I don't know if we should bring Boots though. Especially if there's an oncoming war."

"It doesn't seem fair to exclude her. Plus, it might be a good idea to bring her to try and influence the crawlers to our side."

Gregor hadn't even thought of the militaristic uses for his baby sister. "I doubt Mom will let us take Boots, even if she lets us go," he responded.

"What do we do if she puts her foot down and says no?" Lizzie asked him, with a look of anxiety creeping onto her face.

"Honestly, I was hoping I could put all my cards on the table to push her into letting us go. I guess worst case scenario, we sneak out after she's asleep and hope we aren't too late to catch the next flier to Regalia." Gregor left out that there was probably no way they could sneak out if his mother was wired like she usually got when getting protective of her children.

"What do you mean, all your cards on the table?" Lizzie asked.

"I never really told her everything about the war and about my fighting. I left a lot of details out about what was going on down there. She was worried enough as it was."

"Are you so sure that will go over so well?"

"Nope. But Mrs. Cormaci thinks it will, and I trust her judgment." And Gregor meant it. During his past excursions to the Underland, it seemed Mrs. Cormaci had given him items that ended up being essential to saving his life: a small waterproof flashlight, a pair of steel-toed boots, and now the Beretta. She was either eerily lucky or she knew exactly what he would need and when he would need it.

"If you say so. We should probably have this conversation over breakfast, so we'll have more time to prepare." Lizzie advised.

_Or more time to convince Mom_ Gregor thought to himself but didn't dare say it aloud. The last thing he wanted to do was set Lizzie off on a panic attack.

"Here fill the bowls, I'll go wake everyone up." Gregor handed Lizzie a bowl and walked back to his parents' room.

Gregor softly knocked on their door to awaken them. "Mom? Dad? Lizzie and I made breakfast if you want to come to the kitchen." His mom nodded her head and his dad kind of grunted. He then went to his sisters' room to wake up Boots.

His baby sister was curled up and nestled on top of a ball of blankets. She looked so peaceful, he almost left to let her sleep. But Gregor knew she'd be mad if he didn't wake her up for breakfast. He walked over to her "bed" and knelt down next to her. In the process of kneeling down, he woke her.

"Hi Gregor!" she greeted him with a smile. In the past few months, his little sister had mastered the ability to properly pronounce his name.

"Hi princess. You ready for some breakfast?"

"Ye-es!" she giggled and stuck her chubby arms in the air for him to pick her up. By the time he had settled Boots into her chair, both of his parents were already seated. When Gregor went to sit down at his place at the table, he felt the Beretta poke into his back at an awkward angle. He readjusted the way he was sitting and was grateful that everyone else had their attention elsewhere as to not notice the gun he had with him.

_Man, I am going to have to get used to sitting down like this, or I'll lose this gun before I even get a chance to take the safety off. _

His family ate in relative silence. While his parents ate their breakfast and Boots half ate and half wore hers, Gregor barely had any of his. Gregor glanced at Lizzie and noticed that she hadn't even touched her oatmeal. They both kept sending nervous glances to each other. Eventually, their mother took note of this and gave them both a collective raised eyebrow.

"So, what is it that has you two so nervous this morning?"

Gregor looked at Lizzie, and she nodded at him. Silently, he slid the note to his parents and watched their facial expressions to gauge the situation. He noticed his foot was impatiently tapping the ground, so he willed it to stop. He had to keep his composure if he wanted to have a fighting chance in the upcoming argument.

Gregor had expected an outburst. Yelling. Screaming. Some kind of anger. But instead, his mom simply said, "Absolutely not. Where did we get this brown sugar? I could've sworn we ran out the other day."

_Well I suppose it's better than a screaming match._ Gregor was normally a glass half empty guy, but it was Spring Break. He let himself live a little.

Lizzie recovered first. "Um, can we at least have a conversation? I know it's not something you really want to talk about, but we wanted to at least present our case in a calm manner." She added, "And the brown sugar was from Mrs. Cormaci."

"I already said no Lizzie. What more is there to discuss?" She was avoiding their eyes and was suddenly taking great interest in her empty bowl.

"Grace, at least let them speak. They presented this with maturity, which is definitely a step up from how it's gone in the past. Also, this oatmeal tastes a little better than usual so I'm willing to let them say their piece," his dad said, with a hint of a twinkle in his eye.

"Please Mom? Can we talk about it?" Gregor asked her.

She sighed, and, realizing that shutting them down would paint her as the unreasonable one, waved her hand so they could continue.

Lizzie's face lit up and she opened her mouth, but Gregor gave her a look that said _let me_. She nodded at him.

"Regalia needs me Mom. They need me to protect them and to help them get through this peace meeting. They need my help and I know that I can give it to them." Gregor stumbled a bit on his words. It had sounded a lot more noble in his head.

Gregor's mom sighed again. "Gregor, I know you feel like you went through a lot with these people, but at the end of the day, we owe them nothing. And I don't want to put my children in danger like that. Just the thought of losing one of you, of spending one more night waiting for you to come home, praying that you're alright somewhere…" She paused to wipe her eyes before continuing. "When you were in the hospital before we left, I thought I was going to lose you. My baby. My sweet baby boy. It proved to me that it's not safe down there. I can't lose you Gregor. I just can't." She buried her face in her napkin.

Gregor wasn't sure how to keep going on with this train of dialog. He decided to shift gears.

"Mom, do you know why I was in the hospital?" He gave her a few seconds before starting again, not really letting her answer. "I fought in a war with them. A war. Not a metaphorical one. A bloody one. Not for them, not because of them, but with them. I killed to protect them as they did for me. When you say that I don't owe them anything, you couldn't be more wrong. This isn't a favor I feel like I'm obligated to give out of some need to settle a debt. I care about them." He bit his lip to pause before he continued. He needed to gather his thoughts more.

"I…I am more than just some kid, Mom. I know this is going to be hard to hear but I need you to know why I am uniquely qualified for this task. I know I haven't told you everything about what happened when I was fighting in the war, or what happens to me when I fight. And to be completely honest I didn't plan on it at all. But if I'm want you to trust me, then I need to trust you, too." Gregor paused again to catch his breath, but this time his mom interjected.

"What do you mean 'what happens to you when you fight'? I know you have some good reflexes and training, but you are a child. Regalia has soldiers, adults, who can protect their queen better than any of us can."

"You're wrong!" Lizzie said. Gregor shot her a look to stand down. She had started to breath harder. He took a deep breath with her and she started to calm down.

"I'm not just some kid with good reflexes and training," Gregor repeated. He was having second thoughts about telling her, but he had already started. "I'm a rager, Mom. I have unnaturally fast reflexes and fighting abilities without any training at all. I was one of Regalia's best fighters, and probably the single best human fighter." Gregor stopped again to catch his breath, and to decide if he really wanted to go through with this. "I'm a natural born killer."

His mom had gasped several times but kept herself from interjecting until he was done. "When you say you're a natural born…does that mean that Lizzie is too? And Boots? Is this a family full of ragers?" She seemed genuinely afraid.

"That's not really how it works, at least I don't think. Lizzie can't fight like I can. Lizzie isn't born for battle. She can't kill. It's not in her nature. Not like me. She wasn't born as an efficient fighter." Gregor could tell he was starting to walk on shaky ground. He had attempted to present the idea of him being a skilled fighter without mentioning the fact that he was a killer. Once again, he decided to shift gears.

"In all honesty…I feel most obligated to go because I want…no I need to protect her. To protect Luxa." Gregor felt himself start to heat up. He gave himself a few seconds to calm down. "I have to. There is nothing pushing me to do it besides myself. My ideas. My heart." He took the picture out of his pocket and place it on the table. "I love her." He stopped talking because he couldn't think of anything else to say. He knew this wasn't a surprise, but he had never said it aloud to them before.

A long silence spread across the kitchen. Even Boots read the room and knew to keep quiet. Finally, his dad spoke up.

"Grace, do you remember when it was me who was first trapped down there?"

She nodded her head and brought the napkin back up to her eyes.

"If you had known where I was and that you could've done something about it, wouldn't you have? Wouldn't you never forgive yourself if something happened to me that you could've prevented? Because if roles were reversed, then I would fight like hell to keep you safe." Gregor's dad said.

Another lapse of quiet enveloped the conversation. After what felt like an eternity, Gregor's mom broke the silence.

"I would've done anything to keep you safe." Gregor's mom said softly. "Anything."

Another several minutes of silence filled the room. Gregor was starting to really feel the nerves now, his foot resuming its unconscious tapping. Finally, Gregor's mom spoke up.

"Ok. Keep her safe. Do what you need to do. I won't pretend like I know what you went through when you were…fighting. I won't pretend to know what those people mean to you anymore. Just promise me that you'll come home safe." She looked up at Gregor for the first time since the conversation had started.

"I will. I promise."

"And you." She looked at Lizzie who nodded her head. As composed as she was, Gregor could see the pent-up anxiety that Lizzie was bottling up.

"Ok. Get all the stuff you need. Don't leave without saying goodbye to us first though. And I don't care what you say, you aren't taking your three-year-old sister with you." Gregor nodded his head. He stood up and walked to his room and Lizzie followed close behind.

"That went a lot better than I expected. Are you ok?" Gregor looked at Lizzie who was breathing a little easier than.

"I'm fine." She managed to get out.

"I have to go do a few things on my own. Will you be ok while I'm out?"

Lizzie nodded her head. Gregor grabbed his wallet off the top of his dresser and checked to see if he had some money for what he needed to do. He more than enough, so he closed his door and went back to the kitchen.

He grabbed the picture off of the kitchen table and said, "I'm going to get a few things. I'll be back soon." He left without waiting for a response.

Gregor only had one destination in mind, but rather than taking a cab or the subway, he decided to walk- to take one last stroll through the sun before dropping down into the caves of the Underland. That and he was afraid of what would happen if he got caught with a gun in either mode of public transportation.

Because he took the scenic route, it took him around an hour to get to The Cloisters. He handed the woman by the entrance some money and walked in. There were a significant amount of people milling about the museum, but none stood where he wanted to go: the stone knight.

The knight had gotten Gregor through a lot of tough times; times where he thought was going to die. He hadn't been back to see it since he got back from the Underland five months ago. But he had to take one last look at the knight before he went back. To Gregor, the knight represented him as the Warrior. Even though Gregor had killed the Warrior the last time he was in the Underland, he still felt a connection to the knight laid before him. The knight was a source of calming for Gregor. Now it was a reminder of who he was and who he had become.

After several hours, Gregor left the museum, feeling more confident and empowered. On his way back home, he stopped at a convenience store so he wouldn't return empty handed. He picked up a box of energy bars, four bottles of water and a roll of duct tape. While checking out, he decided to get a lighter too. He wasn't sure why, but it felt like a good idea when he saw it.

Once he got home, he went straight to his room to pack a bag. Along with his purchases, He packed a few flashlights and batteries. He knew he didn't need them, but Lizzie would and so would any other human he might be with, so he packed them anyway. He took the gun from behind his back and released the mag. He took each of the bullets out of it and made sure there wasn't one in the chamber. There were 15 rounds total. Putting all 15 back into the magazine was a tedious process, but the thought of needing a weapon only to have it dismantled was stronger than the tedium. He thought about putting the Beretta in his bag but decided to put it back where it was. Before he closed the backpack, he put a photo album with family pictures into it. He didn't know how long he was going to be gone, and he wanted to be able to look at his family if he felt like he needed to. The bag wasn't too heavy and had plenty of supplies.

He and Lizzie finished packing at around the same time. They spent the few hours remaining before midnight sitting at the kitchen table, ignoring the food in front of them. They weren't talking, more just being together, in each other's company. Once it was 11:50, Gregor stood up and wordlessly hugged each of his family members goodbye. Lizzie did the same. Then they took one last look at their family and left through the front door.

* * *

**Oh boy that was a fun one to write. I suck at writing dialog so hopefully it wasn't too cringy to read. Like I said, this chapter was much longer than the previous chapters, more than twice as long as chapter 2. I have most of the story arc planned out already but putting it to words is taking time. It might be few days before the next update. Thanks for reading and don't forget to leave a review on how I can improve!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Welcome to Chapter 4! We're finally going down to the Underland! I've been super eager to get to this point and have had to show great restraint to keep myself from rushing the events. I hope you enjoy reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it! **

**Hey, the story hit 100 views! That's so insane for me to think about, and I wanted to thank each and every one of you for reading, especially keshaunking89, MovingBush, and frostking104! You guys are awesome! Well enough stalling, enjoy chapter 4!**

**EDIT: Thanks to keshaunking89 for catching an error. In my process of fixing it, I went ahead and made a few more changes. **

* * *

Chapter 4

To the outside onlooker, Gregor and Lizzie would've looked very strange. Two kids with very full backpacks excited walking down to the laundry room in the middle of the night- not something you see every day.

As soon as they entered the laundry room, Lizzie ran to the grate in the wall. She opened the grate in the wall, gave a whistle, and almost instantly Nike's head appeared. Lizzie giggled with glee and started to stroke the black-and-white stripes on the bat's face.

"Greetings, Overlanders," Nike purred.

"Hey Nike. How goes things?" Gregor asked.

"About as well as can be expected. I assume you've been filled in on the state of Underland?" Nike asked.

"Yes…well sorta. Ripred sent a note but it didn't say much besides that there's a peace delegation at the Fount and I'm supposed to watch Luxa to make sure she doesn't get assassinated. But, knowing Ripred, I'm guessing that's just the Cliff's Notes version."

"Who is Cliff and why are his notes of significance to Ripred and his lack of explanation?"

"Um, it's just a saying. It means Ripred probably left out a lot of details."

"Well that wouldn't surprise me. I'll try and give a more detailed summary of the events of the past five months on the way to Regalia. Hop on!" And with that, Nike dropped down so Gregor and Lizzie could hop down the grate.

Gregor let Lizzie go first, and when it was his turn to drop, he hesitated. He had not been in a free fall since Ares died. Despite his trust for Nike, Gregor couldn't help but hesitate. But he was already wasting time, so Gregor swallowed his fear and jump through the grate onto Nike's back.

True to her word, Nike explained what was happening at Regalia and the Underland. After Gregor and his family left, there was relative peace throughout the Underland. But the War of Time left serious scars on the people of Regalia and the Fount. Although they had allied themselves with the gnawers in an attempt to keep the peace, the wounds of the past were still fresh. The humans couldn't forget the losses they had due to the rats: Luxa's parents, the King and Queen, included. Meanwhile, the gnawers were still recovering from the effects of the plague the humans had started. Strangely enough, it seemed that the gnawers were the ones who most wanted peace. The majority of the power-hungry rats had gone down with the Bane. It was the humans, especially those of the Fount, who refused to accept the concept of peace, despite all the lengths Luxa, Ripred and the Regalian Council were going through to keep it.

"And Luxa, is she alright? Ripred sorta glossed over the assassination attempts in his note." Gregor tried to keep the large amount of worry out of his voice.

"Luxa is doing well. There were only two attempts on her life, and both were unsuccessful."

"So, she's ok? She isn't hurt or anything?"

"Yes Gregor, she is unharmed. The assassins both overlooked the future queen's fighting capabilities."

Gregor let out a sigh of relief. Underestimating Luxa was a huge mistake. He was just grateful she wasn't hurt.

"What about Ripred? He's not hurt, either right?" Lizzie asked. Of course, Lizzie would be worried about the un-killable rat.

"No one dares make an attempt on the life of Ripred. Anyone who does is asking for an early grave," Nike laughed. "Speaking of Ripred, I believe that is him down there."

Sure enough, standing in the High Hall, waiting for Gregor and Lizzie was the big scarred rat himself along with two other familiar faces.

Before Nike even touched down, Lizzie had already hopped off and slammed into Ripred.

"Oof! Easy there, kid. I'm not as spry as I once was," Ripred said, feigning surprise. "I'm glad to see you here." He looked over Lizzie's shoulder at Gregor who simply nodded in greeting. He didn't have the kind of relationship with Ripred like Lizzie did. If he tried to hug Ripred, he'd probably get his head bitten off.

Stopping his train of thought, Gregor felt himself get caught in a rib-crushing hug. "Overlander, it has been far too long."

"Hey Mareth," Gregor said, patting the soldier on the back. "It's really good to see you."

"Likewise. How have things been?" Mareth released him with a grin.

"Not too bad. Much better now that I'm here." Gregor then turned his attention to the third member of the welcome crew. He exaggerated a bow towards her. "Greetings your highness."

Luxa laughed and hugged Gregor.

"I missed you," she whispered in his ear.

Ripred nudged Gregor with this tail. "Alright, alright cut it out, you'll have plenty of time to get reacquainted later. There's a meeting in an hour about the protocol for the peace delegation, and directly after I want to see how well your training has held up. Come with me to the armory because I have some special gear I want you to try out."

"I'll see you at the meeting," Luxa said.

Gregor waved at Mareth and Luxa and followed Ripred out.

When they got to the armory, it was relatively empty. An older woman was seated on a stone bench sharpening a knife with a hardened expression. When she saw them come in, her face lit up. "Gregor, what a surprise."

"Hey Miravet. It's great to see you again. Ripred said he wants me to try out some new stuff?" Gregor looked to Ripred for advice.

The rat turned to Miravet and said, "The other day I saw a pair of twin _spada de lato_. Have those been taken yet?"

"No, they're still here. One moment." Miravet walked to the back of the armory and came back with two swords. "These?"

"Yep that's them."

"A rather unorthodox choice, Ripred. Most Warriors simply opt for the biggest sword they can hold," Miravet said.

Ripred scoffed and gestured to Gregor to examine the swords.

On the surface, they weren't much to look at. Each had a simple steel blade, a little shorter than average, and a grip which was wrapped in some kind of animal hide. The interesting part of the _spada_ was the hand-guard above the grip. Like most swords, the hand-guard was a smaller piece of metal perpendicular to the blade, however unlike most swords, the ends of the hand-guard curved towards the point.

Seeing Gregor's focus on the hand-guard, Miravet explained, "The main purpose of the open ricasso is to be able to trap an opponent's sword and twist the _spada_ to disarm them. Normally, this would be useless as we rarely fight other humans with swords, but now this ability to disarm is more useful than ever." She held out the swords to Gregor.

They had a nice weight to them, with most of it being concentrated closer to his hand rather than the edge of the blade. They weren't as perfect as Sandwich's sword had been, but Gregor liked them. "Nice choice Ripred. I'm sure Mareth can help me with the whole disarming thing."

Ripred seemed pleased with Gregor's approval.

"I'm glad you like them. Now, with some of the more advanced techniques, Mareth won't be much help. That's where I come in."

Gregor nodded in response.

"This is kind of inefficient," Lizzie said from across the room.

Gregor shot her a stern look and started to give Miravet an apologetic one, but she looked more interested than offended.

"What is inefficient?"

Lizzie came back holding a bow. "This bow is. When you pull back the string, you most of your strength is used up just pulling it back. A lot of tension ends up going through the forearm. A simple pully-type system on the top and bottom like a compound bow would decrease the strain and increase the power of the arrow more than 3 times."

"Oh yeah. More modern bows in the Overland have little wheelie things on them," Gregor said.

"Gregor shut up for a second. Lizzie what kind of pully-type system are you talking about?" Ripred asked her.

"Well to use Gregor's words, 'little wheelie things.' Wheels on the top and bottom of the stalk of the bow would lessen the draw weight by more than half. Oh, and depending on the way it's strung and the way the wheels are situated, you can calibrate it to where you get full power very early in the arrow's travel time which increases accuracy." Everyone looked at Lizzie, dumbfounded. "What? It's simple physics."

"So, you're saying that if you put this design of yours to use, we could increase the range and power of our shots?" Miravet asked.

"Yeah probably up to 300%. I could probably draw up a schematic if you'd like. It shouldn't take too much work to put a bunch together." Lizzie responded.

"Well this is an interesting insight. I'd like to see that design when you've finished, and I'd also be honored if you could aid me in putting it together." Miravet said, beaming.

"Sure! I needed something to do anyway while Gregor is out saving his girlfriend."

Before Gregor got a chance to say anything, Ripred interjected, "Once again, your sister proves how invaluable she is to us. Miravet, can you please get the belt and sheaths for the _spada_ for Gregor?"

Ripred must have been in a really good mood if he was willing to say please for something.

Miravet returned with a sword belt with two sheaths on either side. When Gregor went to try it on, he remembered he had the Beretta. After putting both swords in their sheaths, he pulled out the gun and showed it to Miravet and asked, "Is there any way I can get some kind of holder for this on the sword belt?"

Miravet looked confused as to what Gregor had just handed her. Meanwhile, Ripred knew what it was. "Woah there kid. Where'd you get a gun?" He laughed.

Lizzie heard this and looked at Gregor. "Yeah where'd you get a gun?"

"Mrs. Cormaci gave it to me. I don't really plan on using it, but I'd rather have it and not use it than use it and not have it," Gregor responded defensively.

"Well, if you intend use it, be careful. First of all, you don't have any more ammo, so however many shots are in that, is all you get. It's not like a sword where you can keep on hacking away. Once that last shot is fired, you've got nothing. Secondly, you aren't in the big city; you're underground, in a massive cave, where sound echoes all over the place. Every time you shoot, you'll be damaging your ears. Without echolocation, you'll be just as useless as any other soldier once the lights go out," Ripred told him.

"Yeah I figured that part out already."

"Overlander, I can make some kind of holder for this, but it'll take a few hours. If you leave this…weapon with me, I'll have the sheath made by the time you've finished with training," Miravet said, seeming more and more curious about the gun.

"Don't waste your time trying to reverse-engineer that. The ammo alone is too much to try and manufacture. Not to mention your whole army will be deaf before they've even learned how the thing works," Ripred said.

"Yes, I suppose so." Miravet looked really disappointed.

"Don't look so down. Lizzie just gave you a huge improvement to your arsenal. Don't take that lightly."

Lizzie perked up at that, obviously very proud of herself. They told Miravet goodbye and left the armory.

"You two need to go bathe before the meeting. I'll take your bags to the museum, but you'll just have to deal with your clothes getting incinerated. The meeting's in the council room in a half hour. Don't be late." Ripred took their bags and left them to go bathe.

Gregor didn't need directions to the bathrooms. With all the time he'd spent in the palace, he had the layout memorized. Once they got to the bathrooms, Gregor asked Lizzie if she wanted him to meet him outside the bathrooms or at the council room.

"Can we meet here? I'm not sure I can find my way to the council room," Lizzie said nervously.

"Ok. Just meet me right here when you're done," Gregor said.

After they had both bathed and dressed in Underland clothing, Gregor led Lizzie to the war room. While they were walking, Lizzie asked him, "Why didn't you tell me about the gun?"

Gregor hesitated. "I didn't really know what to do with it. It never really occurred to me to tell anyone; just not to tell Mom about it. I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

Before Lizzie had a chance to respond, they had arrived at the council room. Surprisingly, there wasn't only humans in the council room. There was also a small group of a dozen rats as well. Lizzie went to get sit with Ripred. Gregor looked around to find a place to sit and locked eyes with Luxa. She waved at him to come over. He walked over and sat between her and another man.

"There are a lot more people here than usual," Gregor said to her.

"Yes, that is because this meeting consists of both the Regalian council and the gnawers council."

"Wait, the gnawers have a council?" Gregor was shocked by this. He knew there were changes in rats' leadership, but he never would've imagined a council.

"Yes, Ripred put it together soon after you left for the Overland. It is still relatively new, so they are still getting used to the idea of cooperation," Luxa said with a frown.

"What happened to the Regalian council after the war?" Gregor asked her.

"Most of the council was lost when the gnawers invaded the palace before you left to fight the Bane. And as I am too young to be Queen, the council had to be seats that were lost have been filled since then. Perdita took Solovet's place as head of the Regalian Army and Howard is the new medical director. Mareth also holds a seat as head of training." Luxa responded.

"Good for them. If anyone should be making decisions for Regalia, it should be them," Gregor said. "Oh, and you," Gregor added. Luxa glared at him.

"Hello, Overlander," a voice said from behind Gregor. He turned around to see a familiar gnawer.

"Lapblood! How are you?" Gregor asked.

"I am well. It is good to see you and the code breaker again."

"Yeah it's good to see you too. Are you on the gnawers' council?" Gregor asked her.

"Yes. After the Bane, Ripred and I decided that one rat shouldn't be in charge of all of them. There are too many differing opinions and viewpoints." As if on cue, a small argument broke out amongst two rats. "Speaking of which, I should get back. It really is good to see you." Lapblood nodded to him and walked back break up the argument.

The man sitting next to Gregor turned to face him and introduced himself. "My name is Claudius, and I am the head of the Royal Guard. It is an honor to meet you and I look forward to working with you."

Gregor didn't really know what to say to that, so he just smiled and said, "Thanks."

Claudius continued to praise Gregor, "I would like to personally thank you for single-handedly saving the whole Underland by killing the Bane."

"It wasn't single-handedly. My bond Ares did just as much, if not more for Regalia." Gregor was getting sick of people discounting what had happened. Ares spent his whole life as an outcast. Gregor was going to make sure his memory lived on as a hero.

"My apologies. I merely misspoke. I am well aware of Ares the Flier's sacrifice during the battle against the Bane. I am truly sorry that you lost him. I too lost my bond during the war of time, so I know that this wound will not heal easily."

Once again, Gregor didn't know how to respond at first. "I…I'm so sorry for your loss."

Claudius smiled sadly. "I thank you for your sympathy. I believe it is time to begin." Claudius cleared his throat and stood. "I would like to call this meeting to order! Please take your seats."

Once everyone had quieted down, Claudius began speaking again. "As we all know, there is an upcoming peace delegation at the Fount. While most of us share the same ideals of a desire for peace, there still remains a group of people who wish to start another war. Currently, our main concern is the safety of Queen Luxa at the Fount. Thanks to the outstanding work of Lord Ripred of the gnawers, the Warrior has returned to act as the Queen's personal body guard for the duration of the delegation." He paused and allowed the council members to applaud. Gregor smiled sheepishly. Claudius continued, "Both myself and Sir Howard will be attending the delegation in representation of Regalia in addition to Queen Luxa and the Warrior. It is my understanding that the gnawers are only sending 3 delegates to the meeting." Claudius look to Ripred for confirmation.

Ripred responded, "That's right. Just myself, Lapblood and Bloodlet. If any more go, I think the people of the Fount will all have a collective heart attack." Most of the gnawers laughed at this.

Claudius spoke again, "Howard, as you were raised at the Fount, can you give us an idea of what to expect from the people there?"

Howard stood up and said, "The people of the Fount have been relatively safe from a lot of the warring. Geographically, it has always been difficult for outsiders to reach The Fount, and most invaders had their eyes set on Regalia anyway. They were practically untouched by the carnage that was the War of Time, yet they still hold a deep resentment against the gnawers for what little losses that suffered, and they demand retribution." Howard scoffed at this. "It is things like this that sometimes make me feel ashamed to have come from there. However, I believe that we can convince them to let go of their biases and prejudices. My father, the governor of the Fount, may be suborn, but he is a reasonable man." Howard sat back down and gestured to Claudius.

Claudius stood back up, "Our main obstacle besides people of the Fount is the nibblers. The Bane nearly wiped out their entire race, so they are hesitant to accept any form of peace with the gnawers. The crawlers and the fliers should not be an issue, as they both stand with Regalia. The spinners will likely support peace as will the diggers."

The meeting kept going on, but Gregor found himself zoning out. He just wanted the meeting to end so he could start training. While Gregor was zoned out, he saw everyone start to stand and leave. He stood up to leave, but Lizzie grabbed his arm to stop him.

"Weren't you listening? They're about to go over the protection detail for Luxa."

Gregor nodded and sat back down. He looked around and saw that he wasn't the only one staying behind. Besides Claudius and Luxa, Howard, Ripred, Lapblood, and another rat Gregor assumed to be Bloodlet remained seated. Once everyone else had left the room, Claudius addressed the remaining council members.

"The plan is very simple. The Warrior will be with the Queen at all times. He will always be armed, and, should anyone attempt to harm the Queen in any way, he is to take appropriate action. Should anything happen, return to Regalia immediately. The Queen's flier will always be ready to fly back at a moment's notice. In the event that the Warrior must escape with the Queen, myself and Howard will remain behind to slow down any pursuers. Any questions?"

Gregor raised his hand. Ripred laughed at him and gestured for Gregor to speak.

"When you say appropriate action, am I to disable and arrest the attacker?" Gregor asked him.

Claudius looked confused. "No, Warrior. You are to kill the assassin and escape to Regalia."

Gregor stuttered for a moment. "Wait so I might have to kill a person?" He hated the idea of murdering someone. It made his skin crawl.

The rat that Gregor assumed to be Bloodlet snarled at him. "You killed hundreds of gnawers. What makes a human life worth more than a gnawer?"

Suddenly, Gregor was filled with shame. Bloodlet was right. Gregor had killed more rats than he could count. He shouldn't feel any different about killing a person. They both could have families, friends, could talk, and could think.

Before Gregor could find the right words to say, Lapblood came to his rescue. "It is very different for humans, especially Overlanders. The only intelligent species above ground is humans and they are taught from an early age not to harm other humans, unlike the way gnawers are raised. If any human had a reason to value a gnawer's life, it would be the Warrior. He risked his life to save the gnawer Twitchtip as well as to save my own." Lapblood turned to look at him. "Of all the humans, the Overlander shows the most compassion towards species not of his own. Rats especially."

The room fell into silence. No one had any response to what Lapblood had said.

Claudius' voice cut through. "I believe this meeting has reached its end. Thank you, gnawers, for your attendance."

And with that, the attendees started to file out of the council room. On their way out, Luxa grabbed Gregor's hand.

"She's right you know." Luxa told him. "No human showed the kind of care towards the gnawers like you did. No one is angry with you."

Gregor could only nod and squeeze her hand. He didn't really know what to think about the confrontation with Bloodlet. The more he thought about it, the more guilty he felt. No life is worth more than another; if there really is an attempt at peace, it's dumb stuff like what Gregor said that gets in the way. And if the rats took what he said at face value, there would never be peace. The part that made him feel the most guilt was that he did have an uneasy feeling towards killing other humans. He never had that feeling towards the rats, and it's not like the humans have ever been on the moral high ground. His train of thought was interrupted be a gruff voice.

"Gregor meet me in our usual place. Bring your swords," Ripred said.

Gregor and Luxa left the council room together, hand in hand.

"I suppose you have to go train with Ripred now." Luxa said sadly.

"Yeah. I'll come see you after he's done with me, ok?"

"Ok. I'll be in the royal chambers. Come see me after." She smiled at him.

Gregor squeezed her hand again and left.

* * *

**I apologize for the delay in writing, as this has been a difficult chapter to put together. Because I don't want to sacrifice the story and world building for the sake of each scene and event, I've spent several hours trying to bridge the gap from scene to scene in a way that organically flows. Even still, I feel this chapter was pretty clunky. Ok I'll stop complaining now. Drop a review if you have time so I know how to improve! Thanks for reading!**


	5. Chapter 5

**It's been a way too long since an update, but here it is! A big reason for the delay is I made a pretty significant rewrite to some later plot points in the story (and this rewrite occurred when I was around 3,000 words into this chapter). Because of this, the next 5 chapters (including this one) have been fundamentally changed from the original plan I had for them when I started writing. AKA, I had to start this chapter over. I got pretty demoralized and took a break so I wouldn't burn myself out.**

**I've also spent a good chunk of time trying to not **_**suck**_** at dialogue. It's nowhere near perfect, in fact, it's nowhere near good yet, but I hope the improved dialogue is less painful to read than the abysmal quality it has been at in the previous chapters. Speaking of which I went back and rewrote a lot of the dialogue in the last chapter because it was horrendous. **

**The amount of support I am getting is mind blowing. In the first two weeks since being published, this story was viewed over 250 times. That's insane. I want to give special thanks to keshaunking89, MovingBush, frostking104, Avatar Vader, and TheNightFury for reviewing as well as Calamity J, Noma00, and Aesir10 for following. You guys are the best!**

**Thanks to... uh Guest for catching an error**

**Now, on to the chapter!**

**Chapter 5**

Gregor stopped by the armory to see if Miravet had finished the gun-holster for his sword belt. He needed to drop Lizzie off somewhere anyway, and since she had already started on the designs for a compound bow, he figured the armory was the best place to leave her while he was training.

Miravet was sitting at the same stone bench as before, only this time she was looking at Gregor's Beretta, brow furrowed as if she was trying to take it apart in her mind. When she saw them come in, her expression lightened, and she stood up to greet them.

"Welcome back, Warrior. How was the meeting?"

"Pretty good, all things considered," Gregor responded.

"If good means falling asleep and setting off angry rats, then yeah the meeting was great!" Lizzie said.

Gregor glared at her and continued talking. "Have you made any progress on the holder for my gun?"

In response, Miravet handed Gregor a holster and his gun.

"It is a less than elegant holster, but in my experience, elegance is secondary to function and performance."

"Yeah, you're right. I don't need anything flashy. I just don't want to worry about this thing going off every time I sit down. Thanks for making it so quickly." Gregor took off his sword belt to attach the holster to it. He took one of his swords off of it and slid the holster onto the belt. Afterwards, he ended up with a sword on each hip and his gun in front.

"Perfect. Thanks so much," Gregor said to Miravet.

"Of course. Now I take it Lizzie is itching to get started on her bow design?" Miravet looked to the girl for confirmation.

"I've already started on the actual design itself, but I'm already having trouble with what kind of material to make the wheels out of. Of course, I should finish the design first, but I like to think ahead. Also, it's taking a little longer because I all the calculations have to be done by hand and then double-triple checked…"

Gregor interrupted her before he missed training altogether. "Ok slow down kid. I've got somewhere to be right now. I'll let you two keep planning. Miravet, once she's ready for bed, can you show her where to go? I don't want her getting lost."

"Of course. I take it you have training to go to?"

Gregor nodded in response.

"Best of luck. Let me know if you need any more additions or improvements with your weaponry," Miravet said.

"Ok thanks Miravet. I'll see you two later."

The walk down to Gregor and Ripred's training area gave Gregor some time to think about his sister and her newfound enthusiasm. Just six months ago, she would break down into panic attacks after simply thinking about things that scared her; a sudden thunderclap or the sound of a crashing car could send her into near catatonic state. What made things worse was that his family never had enough money to afford anything like medication or mental health care, so Lizzie was forced to just try and cope. They used to have to carry a paper bag with them everywhere they went in case Lizzie had an attack; now she was designing weapons for an army. Ripred seemed to have left a lasting impression, as Lizzie had picked up a much more appealing version of his sarcastic attitude.

When Gregor reached his destination, he paused to clear his mind. The last thing he wanted to do was be distracted during his training with Ripred. He removed the four thick stone bars that secured a heavy door and slipped through it. He climbed down the staircase to the cavern. Every other time Gregor had come here, he had a flashlight or lantern of some sort. Now that he had mastered echolocation, he didn't need any light.

Ripred was waiting for Gregor in their usual meeting place, a large circular cave off a set of stairs. It was basically the same as when Gregor had last been in it, save a human sized dummy near the center of the cave. Ripred was slouched against the far wall, gnawing on a rock. When he heard Gregor come in, he tossed the rock to the side and stood.

"Well, it took you long enough. Come on let's get started, we haven't got all day."

"What's with the dummy?" Gregor asked.

"Right now, the main threat that you need to be prepared for is a human assassin with a sword or a knife. And as you can see, I lack to the thumbs to hold those, so you'll have to make do with the stand-in."

There wasn't much conversation between the two ragers. Ripred would give Gregor an instruction, and Gregor would nod in understanding and attempt to execute the command. They started simple: practicing echolocation. Though Gregor hadn't gone out of his way to practice in the past five months, he was still proficient in the skill. It was nice to work with Ripred without him constantly berating Gregor on how worthless he was, however Ripred was still harsh and demeaning whenever Gregor made a slight mistake.

The more he practiced echolocation, the more Gregor realized how much of an advantage the skill gave him over any other human opponent. Not only did he not require light to see, but the sound waves that bounced back to him could give him more "sight" than just in front of him. He had full 360-degree awareness, although in front of him was much clearer and trying to focus on the full area around him limited the clarity of that front area. But if he was surrounded, he wouldn't need to worry about constantly checking his back.

When Ripred decided Gregor had mastered the technique, they moved on to specific combat exercises. Ripred started by instructing Gregor on how to properly disarm an opponent with his _spada_.

"Most humans wouldn't bother with this sort of move, as it general has a low success rate. But considering that you have reservations about killing a human, I take it you'd rather learn to disable an attacker without killing them," Ripred explained. Gregor was surprised at the lack of scorn in Ripred's tone. He had expected to be told to suck it up or something similar to what Bloodlet had said. Instead, Ripred was showing some understanding to Gregor's internal struggle on the matter. He wondered if Lizzie had left an impression on Ripred like he had her.

The maneuver was fairly risky. The ends ricasso weren't very long, so if Gregor wanted to trap a sword in them, he'd have to get very close. It wasn't very hard to execute, but if he made a small mistake, it would most likely be the last one he would make.

This time Gregor was the one who decided to move on. Despite his hesitation about taking a human life, he doubted he would actually attempt to disarm someone trying to kill him or Luxa. If Ripred had any thoughts on the matter, he didn't show them and simply started the next technique: spinning.

Rager spinning was never something that Gregor considered himself good at. He could spin for a while, but eventually dizziness took over. He previously had a lot of trouble orienting himself with spotting as his eyes couldn't keep up with the speed he was spinning at. Spotting with echolocation was a whole new experience. Soon his only limit to spinning was his stamina.

"Alright that's good enough for today," Ripred said. Gregor nodded and started to walk out, but Ripred stopped him. "Wait a moment, boy. I wanna have a word with you."

Gregor stopped and turned back to look at Ripred and asked, "What about?"

"A lot of things." Ripred paused as if trying to find the right way to say whatever it was that he was going to say. This was very unlike him. Normally he didn't care about Gregor's feelings whenever he wanted to get a message across. Finally, he started talking again. "Truth is you have to be more careful about how you present yourself. That little argument with Bloodlet in the war room was only the start. You aren't just some kid in a prophecy anymore. You are the face of the peace movement in the Underland."

Gregor was taken aback by what Ripred was saying. "What? No that's you and Luxa."

Ripred sighed and continued, "You remember your little speech you made when you broke your sword over your knee five months ago? Luxa and I were ready to start another war." Again, he paused. "Any mistake you make, however minor, can possibly jeopardize the balance of peace down here. The Regalians like you, and, after how you treated Lapblood, most of the rats do too. Don't give them a reason not to."

What was Gregor supposed to think about that? He never really thought about how everyone viewed him. But Ripred was right. He was the one who stopped another war between the two species. And if he messed up, all of the talks and delegations about peace could fall apart.

Ripred spoke again, "I don't say this to put you under a whole new load of pressure. I'm telling you this because this can also go in our favor. Like I said, the people like you. Hell, half of them practically worship you as their savior. We need you to push this peace movement forward without screwing up. If you play your cards right, we can have the entire Underland following you to a better future."

"Ripred I'm just a kid. There is no way everyone would follow me in a moment's notice. I'm only thirteen."

"So is Luxa, and she led the entire city as the interim queen while the council was being put back together for three months. Howard's barely eighteen, yet he's the head of medicine. Hazard acts as an ambassador to almost all other species and he's not even 10. Age works differently around here. I'm not telling you to start making plans on the future of leading the Underland. I'm simply asking you to think before you do anything that you can't reverse."

"Alright I understand. I won't do anything without thinking first."

"Good. That's all I'm asking. You do that, and it'll be smooth sailing from here on out."

Gregor was finished with the conversation, and because Ripred seemed satisfied with Gregor's response, he let Gregor leave without any more words between the two.

When he emerged back into the palace, the light was a bit jarring to his senses. After taking a moment to orient himself, Gregor walked to the washroom to bathe. Throughout his bath, Gregor couldn't grasp the idea of an entire city… no an entire world following him. How was he supposed to pull himself together and act like a leader? He couldn't even get Boots to do what he asked half the time! Despite his relative mundane life above ground, Gregor had gotten used to having immense expectations weighing down on him at all times. In the two and a half years that his father was missing, Gregor was responsible for his younger sisters. Since then, he'd been thrown into multiple dangerous situations in unknown territories and raging warzones. But none of that pressure compared to that of his current situation.

After washing up, Gregor decided it was time to go meet Luxa. Along the way, he saw few people, save a few guards who nodded at him respectfully. When he got to the royal wing of the palace, a familiar face greeted him.

"I didn't get a chance to welcome you back, Gregor. It's good to see you are well!" Howard said with a smile. Gregor returned the smile and embraced his friend.

"Hey Howard. How've you been?"

"I've been quite well, if not a bit overworked. I've been appointed as the head of medicine, and it has proved to be a daunting task."

"Yeah I heard about that. I don't think anyone could do the job as well as you can."

"I appreciate your kind words. I had my reservations about being on the council, considering my age, but as it turns out, most of the council is on the younger side."

"I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing. Most of the old council was always caught up in doing whatever the 'traditional' thing to do was. Besides Vikus, I feel like most of them weren't too focused on the good of Regalia. Leadership around here needed some younger blood."

Howard's expression showed a hint of sadness. "Vikus was a strong advocate for good on the council."

Gregor felt his stomach lurch. "Was? Vikus died?"

"Oh no, I don't mean to confuse you. Vikus is still alive, but the stroke he suffered from has had lasting effects. He still struggles to form words to speak, so he's unable to serve on the council."

Gregor felt a wave of relief wash over him, immediately followed by a wave of guilt. He hadn't even thought to check up on Vikus. He hadn't thought to check up on a lot of people. How was Hazard doing? Nerissa? Temp? He'd been so focused on seeing Luxa again, he'd completely forgotten about the rest of his friends.

Sensing the uncomfortable mood between the two, Howard decided to change the subject. "What brings you to this section of the castle I wonder?"

Gregor felt himself start to blush as he tried to come up with some form of response that wouldn't set him off. Gregor opened his mouth to come up with a lame excuse, but Howard's laugh stopped him in his tracks.

"I only joke. I assume you are here to see my cousin, yes?"

Gregor nodded his head, not wanting to get another lecture out of Howard. But what Howard said surprised him.

"I feel I must apologize. The last time I saw you, I attempted to dissuade you from… her. I was wrong to do so. I assumed you would leave as soon as you read the Prophecy of Time to avoid what we all thought was your impending death. I was wrong. You stayed even after reading it. Most soldiers go into battle knowing that there is a good chance they won't live to see another day, but they fight because there is always a chance of survival. You weren't given that. You truly believed you were going to die. But you stayed and fought in a foreign land over issues that were not your own. And though those who don't truly know you believe you fought only for Regalia, you and I both know the real reason you laid down your life. Am I right in assuming this?"

Gregor again simply nodded, as for the third time that day, he was completely taken aback.

Howard smiled at Gregor's embarrassment. "Then I could not have been more wrong to say to you what I said. And for that I apologize." He patted Gregor on the arm and walked off.

Gregor knocked twice on the door, and, after hearing a "enter" come from inside, opened the door and walked in.

He had seen the royal chambers once before, but they never ceased to amaze him. They made the rest of the palace look like a cheap motel. The living space was about the size of all the apartments on his floor combined. In the center of the room was a long stone table with several chairs around it. The sides of the table had carvings across them, similar to the outside of the palace. The walls were relatively barren, save a few tapestries of what looked like historic events, and a painting of two people Gregor assumed were Luxa's parents. Above the doorways to each of the other rooms were strange pieces of metal that somewhat resembled horseshoes. Near the back of the room was a balcony that looked out to the city, but it was closed off with thick curtains. In the far corner of the room was a living room-style area with a few couches and a small table that was low to the ground. Luxa was seated on one of the couches reading a book. Her face lit up when she saw him and patted the cushion next to her, as to invite him over.

Gregor sat down beside her, but as soon as he took the weight off his feet, the full wave of fatigue rushed over him. It had probably been more than a day since he had slept; he left home around midnight and since then had been too busy to notice his exhaustion. Luxa started to speak to him, but Gregor couldn't focus on what she was saying. It felt as if his eyelids were trying to wedge themselves shut, and he was having to force them to remain open.

She took note to his dreariness and lightly shook him out of his stupor before speaking. "You seem quite exhausted. Perhaps we can reconvene at another time?" She was trying and failing to hide a look of disappointment on her face.

"I'm sorry. I haven't slept in like a day and a half," Gregor didn't have the energy to come up with anything more to say.

Luxa smiled at him sadly and said, "Go get some rest. I'll see you tomorrow at general training."

Gregor nodded and stood, but before he could walk away, Luxa grabbed his arm. He turned to look at her, but before he could speak, he felt her lips pressed against his. Gregor felt the warm, tingly, feeling traveling through his body. Their lips parted and he could see her face registering the feeling as well.

Suddenly Gregor didn't feel tired anymore. But despite this newfound rush of adrenalin, he knew sleep was something he desperately needed. So, he squeezed Luxa's hand and left her room without another word.

When he arrived back at his room, he felt the wave of fatigue again. He moved aside the heavy curtain that separated his room from the rest of the palace and saw Lizzie fast asleep inside the small room. Gregor closed the curtain, collapsed onto his bed, and almost immediately fell asleep.

For the first time in half a year, Gregor slept dreamlessly though the night.

**Alright there it is! I'm sorry it took so long, I'll try to be more consistent in the future. Unfortunately, due to the way I've structured the plot of this story, the majority of Part 1 (the first 9 chapters) is more set up than anything else. Yeah, this kind of sucks and all, but I feel it's important set up for the future. I hope the set-up is at least entertaining to read and speculate on what is to come. Thanks for reading and be sure to drop a review so I know how to improve! **


End file.
